Thread by @weareoversight

For more than a month, the Trump administration defied Congress and refused to hand over key documents in the Ukraine investigation.

Then last Friday, the State Department released nearly 100 pages to us.

Here's how that happened: americanoversight.org/behind-the-sce…

It started in May, when news reports indicated that Trump lawyer Rudy Giuliani was planning a trip to Ukraine to, in his words, “meddl[e] in an investigation.” nyti.ms/2PUH5q2

We filed two FOIAs with the State Department, one for records related to the recent recall of Ambassador Marie Yovanovitch, and another for communications with Giuliani or about his efforts to get Ukraine to investigate Joe Biden and his son.
americanoversight.org/document/foia-…

We drew upon public reporting and previous research to identify individuals within State who were likely to have been involved in issues like these. In addition to Sec. Pompeo, we requested records of Ulrich Brechbuhl, Lisa Kenna, David Hale, and others.

americanoversight.org/document/foia-…

The State Department had still not responded to either FOIA by September when news of an intelligence community whistleblower first broke. We followed up and requested expedited processing of our requests.

On October 1, the State Dept. had still failed to produce records, so we sued. Three days later, we filed a motion seeking a preliminary injunction, citing an urgent need to inform the public given the rapidly moving impeachment inquiry.
americanoversight.org/were-suing-the…

A federal judge called for a hearing on the emergency motion, and on October 25, the court ordered State to work with us to begin producing records by November 22. americanoversight.org/federal-judge-…

Through negotiations, the State Department agreed to release by that deadline senior officials’ external communications with Giuliani or about the Ukraine effort or Yovanovitch smear campaign, as well as directives recalling Yovanovitch.

Then last Friday, the State Department released nearly 100 pages, including emails showing that President Trump's Oval Office gatekeeper connected Giuliani to Secretary Pompeo in early 2019 when Giuliani was working to smear Yovanovitch.
americanoversight.org/state-departme…